"His draft budget makes no provision at all to fund schemes designed to reduce pressure on teaching staff, despite the fact that Mr Morgan has already signed up to them.

"In January the First Minister agreed a scheme to reduce teachers' workload.

"This plan was supposed to allow the appointment of people to help hard-pressed teachers. But it is now crystal clear that the #17m needed this year is not included; only #30m of the #44m needed next year has been set aside; and the #100m which would be required in 2005 is not there.

"I am prepared to bet that when the funding shortfall leads to schools being forced to cut staff, Mr Morgan will go straight into 'not me guv' mode and start blaming the local authorities for failing to distribute the money properly. But the plain fact is, if the money isn't there in the first place, no amount of effort on the part of local authorities will make it magically appear.

Liberal Democrat leader Mike German accused the Labour Assembly Government of cutting schools and students out of their plans for Wales.

He said, "A year ago, the Partnership Government planned to spend #1,244m on education. Today we are told the education budget for next year will be #20m less than that.

"The losers will be schools and students. There will be less money for learning grants and less money to cut class sizes in schools."